Allergy responses: Is there more I can do?

[joannqn]

I'm a miserable mess of allergies right now.

 

First, I ran out of All Free and Clear Liquid laundry detergent, which I use sparingly and with a double rinse because of my sensitive skin. It works for me. I had a bottle of Arm and Hammer liquid laundry detergent, perfume and dye free, that is supposedly tested for sensitive skin. NOT! Most of my body is a mess of itchy rash...my calves, thighs, the back of my waist, and forearms are all itchy and covered in a rash. I've been using hydrocortizone sparingly on the worst of it, but I'm still dealing with it a week after fixing the laundry problem.

 

Then my eyes started in with their allergies. They got itchy so I started taking Claritin. (My whole face itches when my eyes get started.) That wasn't enough so I started using antihistamine eye drops 4 times a day. They are just barely tolerable now. They aren't itchy now but are tearing nonstop. The corners of my eyes and lower eyelids are red, raw, peeling, and inflamed.

 

I'm working on cleaning as much as I can, starting in my bedroom. I know my eyes react to dust, which seems to be worse in the winter. My house is very dusty. I can dust and there will be a fairly decent coating of dust again in 24 hours.

 

Is there more I can do to heal my skin? What about the raw, inflamed skin around my eyes? What can I put there that won't bother my eyes?

 

I'm nursing a 4 month old so it has to be safe for that too.

[Tammyla]

You sound miserable:grouphug:.

 

Shower after cleaning and be sure to use sensitive skin soap sparingly.. Pat don't rub dry. Make sure you haven't switched shampoo, perfume, lotion or some other irritant.

 

Try Benadryl for the itching.

[Oakblossoms]

Are you still off dairy? Is this new? Have you tried going GF or getting tested? There is a form of Celaics that is on the skin.

 

I've had good luck with the enviro friendly laundry detergent at Costco, too. It cleans better than All Free.

 

Oatmeal baths, oatmeal lotion. Remove all chemicals and petroleum products from your body. Even sensitive lotions often contain those things. No laundry softener.

[Oakblossoms]

Could you have mold?

 

When I live in Seattle our house was so dusty. I came to the conclusion that the city was dustier because of less grass and stuff. Not sure if it's true. But, it was horribly dusty.

 

Perhaps a room filter.

[joannqn]

I'm sure that the rash is a reaction to the detergent.

 

I only use All Free. I want to try the vegetable based laundry soap at Costco but haven't yet. I think I should probably wait until I past this to try it though.

 

The winter allergies (with the eye reaction) happens every year but this is the worst in a very long time. It was horrid when I lived in CA during the Fall when the Santa Anna winds blow. My eyes would swell shut. My hunch is that it is so bad because my immune response was already in overdrive from the laundry detergent reaction.

 

I don't use fabric softner. I rarely use bath soap, and when I do it is either glycerine or lye-based, and then only where it is needed. I usually wash my hair with baking soda and vinegar but sometimes I get lazy and use shampoo and conditioner. The stuff I have doesn't cause any major problems...just a mildly itchy scalp after I've used it a while (from the build up, I think). Washing my hands and dish soap doesn't bother me. The only lotion I use is scent free and the kind we have now has never caused me problems before.

 

We get mold on the downstairs windows every year, but it hasn't started growing yet.

 

I'm worried about the Benadryl reducing my milk supply too much. It also puts me to sleep, a pretty heavy sleep, too. I can only take it if I have another adult at home to watch the kids. Maybe I can pick some up and get a few hours relief this weekend.

[MamaChristina]

so miserable right now. I hope it clears up soon. As a suggestion for the raw skin around your eyes....I have a friend with the same allergy problem and she swear that Emu oil is the best for clearing it and soothing it.

 

Hope you find what works for you!!

 

Blessings,

[joannqn]

Where do you get Emu Oil? I've never heard of it.

 

I'm leery of putting anything too close to my eyes since they are quite sensitive, so I'm especially interested on what can be used there.

[muffinmom]

do you use a neti pot? since I've started using it, my allergy response has been greatly reduced. also, using it in the middle of a reaction can really give you great relief. obviously this is more for nasal allergies, but maybe it would relieve one source of your problems.

 

Have you tried Zyrtec? It's OTC now, and I like it better than Claritin. I used it all through pregnancy and nursing.

 

Hope you feel better soon!

 

ETA: there is a demo on how to use a neti pot on youtube.

[Melissa in Australia]

my DH has bad allergies to I don't use any detergent on bedlinen. I just wash in very hot water. for all other washing I get special laundry detergent that is bought from an allergist.

I have a friend with bad allergies as well, and she has 3 plastic spiky things than she puts into the washing machine. she doesn't use any detergent at all . they work well

[Melissa in Australia]

Also, if you have very bad allergies ( like my husband, who has chemical sensitivities) putting stuff onto your body might in fact make it worse.

[Allearia]

I would recommend trying Zyrtec, but maybe check with your doctor first. I took it when I had terrible hives after having my first baby and while nursing. My allergist who prescribed it recommended not nursing while I took it, but the pharmacist and my obstetrician said it was fine. I did nurse before taking it so there would be less in my milk. Benedryl should be safe but might make you sleepier.

[yarrow]

I use an ointment in my eyes to compensate for lack of tears. I know you said your eyes are tearing but the ointment might help heal the skin around your eyes. You can find it in any pharmacy in the eye care section (near the contact lense stuff). Just make sure it's preservative-free so it doesn't aggravate your allergies. It's primarily sterile vaseline.

 

Also, I take quercetin regularly to help with allergies although I'm not sure now is the time to add something new.

[cylau]

When my son was a baby, he was allergic to many things. I washed his clothes in hot water with baking soda. Since you are using baking soda also, you might want to do your laundry with baking soda. I used to buy big boxes of baking soda from Costco a few years ago. I don't know if it is still available at Costco or not.

 

Also, I would use Zyrtec rather than Claritin. Sometimes when you use Claritin (or any antihistamine) too much, you might not respond to it any more. Besides, Zyrtec is a little more effective, but a little more drowsy than Claritin. Add a steroid nasal spray might help also.

[lgm]

How about a petrolatum alternative for the dry skin? IMHE, petrolatum (vasilene) is effective for allergy cracked skin around the eyes, but it's a carcinogin so an alternative would be better.

 

With the dust,

Use the vacuum with a HEPA filter rather than go around dusting with a cloth or wand

Clear out all the knick-knacks (otherwise known as dust accumulators)

If you have carpeting, get rid of it as it's a dust trap and replace with harder flooring that is easier to keep clean.

If you have HVAC that uses filters, change them frequently. If you don't, add it (unless you're using radiant of course). Air should circulate in the house, whether it's windows open or fans.

Use window coverings that are all easily washable or easily vacuumed (no vinyl blinds as they require great effort unless someone has time to put in that effort regularly).

Delegate the hand dusting jobs to nonallergenic household members.

Use commercial grade floor mats at the entry/exit doors or have people take off their outside shoes and use inside shoes. Floor mats must be long and maintained to be effective.

Replace anything that is so old or made of material such that it's shedding...i.e. hold a towel up in the sunlight and shake it. If you get a dust cloud, it's contributing to your household dust. (100% cotton towels are good)

 

For the mold on the downstairs windows - mold needs moisture and food to grow and gets it from the material around and on the window. If it's wood, the wood needs to be refinished. Whatever it is, clean with a bleach solution to kill all mold & remove all visible mold. The moisture in the air also needs to be removed - dehumidifier, fans while showering/cooking, etc. Here's a link that has practical ideas: http://www.ehow.com/way_5329741_preventing-mold-mildew-windows.html?ref=fuel&utm_source=yahoo&utm_medium=ssp&utm_campaign=yssp_art

Edited December 6, 2009 by lgm
clarity

[Ellie]

(((Joannqn))))

 

The only laundry and personal care products Mr. Ellie can use are Amway's--Sensitive laundry detergent for his underwear (he can tolerate the "regular" detergent and fabric softener on his other clothing), any of the bath soaps, deoderant, LOC. Otherwise, he itches terribly.

[Lovedtodeath]

N-Acetyl-Cysteine and Immunocal both help your body to produce glutathione and reduce allergic response, especiallly for chemical allergies. Immunocal is more expensive, and more powerful.

 

I hope you get to feeling better!

[joannqn]

lgm, I look forward to doing many of those things we can can afford it. Right now, we're lucky to be paying just basic bills. That's why I'm decluttering and vacuuming. I can't buy or pay for anything new.

 

Lovedtodeath...is that safe for nursing? I'll look for it. I'm sure it can be found at a natural/health foods store?

[Lovedtodeath]

lgm, I look forward to doing many of those things we can can afford it. Right now, we're lucky to be paying just basic bills. That's why I'm decluttering and vacuuming. I can't buy or pay for anything new.

 

Lovedtodeath...is that safe for nursing? I'll look for it. I'm sure it can be found at a natural/health foods store?

I don't know for sure about NA C Cysteine, which would likely be at the health food store, and less expensive. I know that Immunocal is safe for nursing. Jake and I have been on it several times, starting at 2 months old. Immunocal is available only through a distributor or Immunocal themselves. It is very expensive. :( It is used extensively for cancer patients during chemo. I need to take Immunocal Platinum now and it is not safe for nursing, and even more expensive ha!

 

As a side note, sorry to hi-jack, I have been nursing Jake throughout my treatment and making progress, but I can't do that anymore. This is his last week. :(

[lgm]

lgm, I look forward to doing many of those things we can can afford it. Right now, we're lucky to be paying just basic bills. That's why I'm decluttering and vacuuming. I can't buy or pay for anything new.

 

I hear ya, been there with the old house, low budget, and the little ones, so that's why I'm taking the time to write. We found low and no cost help by networking and letting our needs be known.

 

The ultralow cost basics will help the most. Preventing mold is #1 in terms of health benefits - mold will affect everyone's respiratory system adversely and those that become allergic will have other problems. Everything else is a method of cutting dust down so there is less in the house to set off the allergic responses and feed the mold.

 

The mold spores travel and are in the house ready to grow when conditions are right (dust plus moisture), unless a total wipedown and bleaching of everything was done last season. The cost of an emergency room visit or dr. plus inhaler plus medicine is more than the cost of the bleach (about $1/gal here) and the rags (free) to prevent mold growth in the window area where it usually grows.

 

Dehumidifiers do raise the electric bill. An alternative is just wiping the condensation off the windows and walls with a rag. If you end up having mold grow, outside help can be found via a ministry or local people help fund. You might put a post up on Craig's list or freecycle or any brick&mortar local bulletin board as people do donate dehumidifiers, good cotton towels (in last year's decorator colors), and building supplies from renovations. People also arrange barters for work. It's a good time of year to let your needs be known and to let people be green and find someone that can use their discarded perfectly functional stuff.

 

The only thing I couldn't find a cheap source for was the HEPA filter for the vacuum cleaner. If anyone reading has a good source, please post!!

Edited December 8, 2009 by lgm

[joannqn]

Thank you. I'm getting a little better, I think. My eyes are better. The skin around them is almost healed and I only needed the antihistamine drops twice yesterday rather than the maximum four a day (plus needing it more than that).

 

I continue to itch and rash on my skin. I'm keeping it under control by not wearing anything fitted, not using ANY products, and hydrocortizone. I've been doing laundry like mad (using the ALL that I've always tolerated) to catch up. As soon as I'm caught up (probably tomorrow), I'll pull all of my clothes out and run them through the wash again with no soap at all to make sure they are detergent free.

 

I'm also decluttering and cleaning tons. In addition to that, I'm putting plastic on the windows to help keep the cold out. Our house is so drafty that even with the heat on we are cold during the winter, especially during cold spells like the one we're in. My heating bill says we used 50 therms more this December than last, which got me in a panic about what February (our highest bill) will be like. I'm cleaning window ledges and curtains as I go; there's no visible mold. The plastic will help prevent the mold; I know the windows don't get all that condensation when they are covered.

 

DH also changed the filters on the furnace and heating ducts. I think I have enough dust out (though I'll continue to clean) for my eyes to be ok.

 

I just have to solve the skin thing and my lips are now chapped really bad...so bad, my upper lip is swollen. Two others in my family have chapped lips too. I've been told other people are experiencing the same thing in their families; they think it is the extra cold and dry weather that we aren't used to causing it.

[Mrs Mungo]

I have terrible problems with detergents and fabric softeners. What I have found is that I will sometimes have a reaction to a detergent I've used for years. For example, I used to use Cheer Free powder. Then, they "new and improved" it, adding "whitening crystals" or some such. I can't use it anymore. I can't use All, neither can my mom or sister, even the All Free. My family has had good luck with the *liquid* Tide Free and the Seventh Generation detergent (I can even use the scented!). I'm sorry you're having such a hard time right now!